Mourn for the Living
by house-of-sleep
Summary: Why I am I forced to fight? What is my reason to live? Who is waiting for me at the end of all this? It is only now I realize that the dead do not suffer rather, it is the living who cry.
1. Prologue

**Mourn For The Living**

**Prologue**

"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am! Would I even be here if I had thoughts of doubt?"

"Right. It's just that…"

"Are you still worried about ethical issues? We are at the top! We can make these damn laws!"

"But on our own flesh and blood?!"

"… "

"Why are you so hell-bent on this experiment? You never told me anything about this until now! What is your reason?"

"Remember those scientists who created that clone of Mew? I managed procure some of the Legendary's DNA before Giovanni's cleanup crew could get their dirty hands on it. That was almost 10 years ago. Thankfully, we broke away from the organization."

"I know all that already. You still haven't answered my question."

"Now we work for the government. Thinking back to how we got here, it's pretty damn ironic. He was the lesser of the two evils. Sure Giovanni had a temper, but he somewhat cared for us scientists. Better than these pricks, that's for sure.

"Don't tell me you plan on a coup's de grace. I can't believe I married you sometimes…"

"Oh hush, darling. Nothing but good will come out of this. Trust me."

"But what if we're caught before its completed?"

"You worry too much, dear. We'll live to a grand old age with a supporting and loving son! He'll be thankful that I am giving this to him!

"…"

"Something wrong? You look a little pale."

"It's nothing. Let's get this damn thing started before I vomit."

"That's the woman I love! I was starting to get anxious. Alright, let's hop to it!"


	2. Slave to Insanity

**Ch. 1 Slave to Insanity**

It is always odd to awaken to total darkness. My awakening is no exception. The first thing I hear is screaming. Not just any screaming, mind you. This scream was a bunch of screams put together to create one unholy noise. Quite frankly, I was scared shitless. It is always much more frightening to be blind and **knowing** something horrible is out there to get you. You're defenseless. There is not enough time to adapt. Why? Why can't I see anything, for Arceus's sake?!

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty! Get your ass in gear!"

Who the hell can be sleeping at time like this? Oh, could that be me?

"Man, you better not die by some shitty debris to the head!"

"Wha?" I barely murmered.

"Ah, good to see you up and alive, pal!"

I somehow regained the ability to open my eyes. I was greeted by a rather large man wearing tanned army fatigues and a helmet to go with his set. He was rather intimidating, to say the least. Although his face was covered in dirt and what I thought was dry blood, his sky blue eyes shined with a sense of relief. He was carrying a backpack as a great as he was. I hadn't slightest idea of what it held until I saw what he was carrying. In his hands was an AK assault rifle. I couldn't really tell which one though. Those damn things are so common nowadays.

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember me? I'm you're captain, bitch!"

A pleasure to meet you too, prick. Hold on a sec… captain? What's going on? The only thing that I can think of as to why he is my captain is that I am in the navy or in the army. I swiftly scratched off the navy seeing that I wasn't on a ship. The fact that we were under heavy fire in the **ground** reinforced this fact.

"Thanks for saving me… um…"

"Chris Badman. Just call me Badman."

"Right." I finally decided look at my surroundings. Dirt, dead bodies, foxholes, ruined buildings, bleak skies, and unknown assailants shooting everything they got at us. I have finally summarized that I am on a battlefield. Where am I? Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, or perhaps Kanto?

"What's your name, kid?"

His gruff voice broke me out of my thoughts. "Coln Einsbark."

"Nice name, kid."

"I would appreciate it very much if you stopped calling me kid. I believe my stature already states the obvious."

"Whatever. Now is not the time to be doing idle conversation, anyway. We got to get rid of these bastards before they get rid of us."

"What are you going on about now?" I asked. Not knowing anything really pisses me off. Why am I fighting in war? Shouldn't I be in school or something protecting nerds from bullies and all that good crap? Oh yeah, did I mention that I was only eight years old?

"Do I have to remind you? We don't have time to ponder right now! We have a battle to fight. Now let me see your equipment."

I handed Badman my rotund backpack without questioning. If he saved me once, then I had better follow his orders. He may just as well save my ass again in the near future. He sifted through it all the while looking surprised.

"Shit, kid. You're packing some heat!"

"What's in there?" I inquired.

"A twin barrel shotgun, a DSR-1 sniper rifle, and a Desert Eagle handgun. What the hell were they thinking giving someone of your stature powerful weapons?"

I admit, that sniper rifle could be as tall as my best friend at this point, if I had one. But, I was given a responsibility when the soldiers handed out equipment, or maybe they got my bag mixed up.

"Whatever, here are my orders. Get the hell out of here and find a good vantage point and snipe those bastards. There are a few intact buildings that should give you what you need. Be careful of stray fire. Oh, one more thing before you go. Our enemies are using pokemon. Whatever you do, don't kill them. Injure them if you must but don't **kill them.** Got all that?"

* * *

All I could merely do was nod. Who was I to question my savior's commands? He tossed me my bag before I departed. Now that I have time to think, (if you call trying to survive in a storm of bullets thinking) I am about shoot someone that I don't even know. Good lord, I am about to kill people. Arceus, have mercy on this damned soul. I was scared, to put it lightly. How many I'm I going to kill? Not only that, but pokemon are now more deeply involved with human affairs? Gaining resolve from who knows where, I emerged from our foxhole, while being cautious of stray fire. My legs felt like rubber, but my adrenaline kept me going. I could have died at any given moment now. But if I stop to cry, I would only ensure my death. Besides, I had to survive this in order to gain all the answers to my questions. I made my way to a nearby three story building while crawling and taking cover when necessary. Surprisingly, the building was mostly intact. I lost all sense of time at that moment. It almost felt like an eternity before I reached my destination. I decided to take a breather on the second floor to calm my nerves. I feel worse than shit, and I haven't even shot anyone yet! How can people remain calm in such a hectic environment? I looked out the window and realized that I had a clear shot of my enemy. All I simply had to do was wait for them to pop out of their cover. I got out my DSR-1 and checked if it was loaded. For some odd reason, I only have two full clips which amounted to ten rounds. I had to make my shots count. Trying to keep my hands steady, I leaned the barrel of the gun on the window. I looked through the scope to check the vicinity of the battlefield. From what I counted, there were at least 20 soldiers, possibly more in hiding. I saw a couple of pokemon that I couldn't recognize. They looked like armored rhinos with drills for horns that decided to be bipedal. By the looks of it, they gave them extra plating. The pokemon acted as a living shield capable of attacking. Not only that, but they also had the woods for extra cover. On our side was a pitiful number of 14 soldiers and those numbers are slowly dwindling. All we had were buildings carved by destruction, a few walls that were the remains of a structure, and a couple of foxholes. I had to be quick. But I didn't have enough ammo to kill all of them. I decided to change the zoom from 2x to 10x to see if there is anyone giving commands from afar. I saw about a dozen or so tents off to the side of the woods. I can only assume that was the enemy's camp. No wonder they are fighting so fiercely. Then, I saw two soldiers open the flaps to one of the larger tents. A man dressed in what I believed was an admiral's outfit emerged from the open tent. I couldn't tell any other distinct features from my distance but that outfit says it all. He must be the commander of that base!

"This is it," I said to myself. "Come on, do this for Badman and the others, whoever the hell they are." I realize how difficult it is to psyche myself up to kill someone. What joy is there in taking a living being's life? No, by killing this one single man, I am saving my comrades. Just do it. This is war. Mercy and pulling punches mean nothing, especially if a child such as me is killing. My target began to move swiftly towards a jet green jeep. I have to act now! I switched to an even higher magnification to get a better shot.

"Forgive me."I said softly as I pulled the trigger. His head flies back as the bullet exited cleanly from the back. His eyes rolled back as he falls to the floor, just another dead man among the masses. The two soldiers following him were frightened. In a panic, they ran everywhere, like headless Combuskens.

"Oh shit," I said to myself. I felt like crying but I couldn't. Why? What's wrong with me? "Shit, shit, shit!!" I punched the wall in frustration. My knuckles were bleeding but I can't feel it. I've gone numb almost completely. I panicked and began to scream. If this is how it feels to kill someone every time, I think I would rather die here. After about a few minutes of hysteria, I calmed down. Now, I merely sat there in a stupor as I went over in my head what just happened. I just killed a man, by means of a head shot no less! I must have been there for a while because the gun fire started to cease until there was nothing but silence. The battle was over. The loud silence erupted into my ears. It was the calm after the storm. Suddenly, I hear static crackling coming from my backpack. I realized that it was my radio that I totally forgot about. Finally, a voice came through.

"You still alive, kid?"

"Yes," I replied. "aside from being emotionally scarred, I think I'll be fine."

"That's great. Listen, you did good out there. It was smart of you to go after a high ranked officer. I am proud to have you on the team. Why don't you come down and join us? Or do you need some time alone?"

I opted for the second option. "Some time to think could be useful right about now. I'll see you in a few minutes." With that said, I turned off my radio. I finally have my moment of respite. I was still sitting against the wall, looking at my surroundings. Shards of broken glass were everywhere. Books lied on the floor, with their contents spilling out on the floor. Paper decorated the tile floor as if someone was ready to repaint the bullet riddled walls. My DSR-1 was still in my hands. I tried to pull the trigger again to see what happened. I heard people get a sense of adrenaline when they fire a gun. All that came out from my gun was a clicking noise. Suddenly, realization dawned upon me. It was a bolt-action rifle! Each time a shoot, I have to eject the empty shell with a switch on the side of the gun. I silently laughed at myself. Thank the Gods that I wasn't in combat when I found this out. I pulled the lever and out popped the shell, in its place was a new one. I placed the gun in my pack and pulled out my twin barrel, something more suitable for close encounters. Alright, relaxation is over. It's time to ask Captain Badman, if that is his real name, some questions. Before I left, I heard a sort of yelping noise. Instincts kicking in, I raised my shotgun to about chest level, pointed at the unknown. I slowly scanned the area as I crept around the premises. That noise was definitely not human. I shouldn't expect a man with a pistol pointed at my head. Instead, I have to worry about a pokemon that might be eager to rip my throat out. I heard the yelping again, this time followed by whimpering. Whatever it was, it must be in pain. I looked down and noticed that there was a small trail of blood. The poor thing must have stepped on one of the glass shards. My boots crunched against the shards as I followed the trail. It bended around a stack of encyclopedias sitting next to a desk and I realized, this is where the trail ends. I slowly moved to the side, aiming my gun lower just in case I come face-to-face with a four-legged creature. You can never be too careful when it comes to war. What I saw really surprised me. Only few words escaped my mouth as I stood there, stunned.

"An Absol?"


	3. What Next?

**Ch.2 What Next?**

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a very young Absol, still just a pup. I heard that these Pokemon were extremely rare. But there was something distinct about this one. It was the eyes. Normally, their eye color was red. But this Absol's eyes were an emerald green. They were very striking. Tears were flowing freely from them. Upon closer inspection, there was a hint of hatred mixed with fear in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Breaking the awkward silence between us, I decided to speak up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked kindly. The poor thing only answered with a whimper. I looked at her paws to see the cause of pain. My assumptions were correct. The little one stepped on a glass shard. Trickles of blood dripped from her wound.

"We better get that fixed up." I said. I searched my backpack for that mandatory first-aid kit. I pulled out a spare potion, some bandages and scissors. "Give me your paw." I ordered. She was extremely reluctant to trust me. This time, the fear was evident. Heh, I don't blame her. But if her wound doesn't get patched up soon, it will get infected. Taking matters into my own hands, I picked her up to get a better look at her paw.

"Let go of me!" She shrieked.

"What the hell," I nearly dropped her in surprise. "Did you just talk right now?"

She wriggled and squirmed in my firm grip to get a look at me. "You… you can understand me?"

Things at this point became extremely bizarre. Since when was I able to communicate with Pokemon? "I don't know…" I barely replied. Once again, silence fell upon us, surroundings forgotten. We just stared at each other, none of us knowing what to say to each other. This has got to be a dream. There is no way in Hell that a human can communicate with Pokemon without the use of technology. Yeah, that has to be it! Why else would a little kid like me be in a war? Wow, this hallucination is almost as crazy as the time I dreamed I was in a Pokemon rescue team. No wonder we only use ten percent of our brain. Then, she began to whimper in pain again. This brought me back to earth (or my dream). Deciding to come to terms with my newfound "ability" later, I gently picked up her paw to check the damage. There was a small shard stuck inside. It wasn't deep so I could easily pull it out with my hands.

"This is gonna hurt like hell so prepare to scream." I warned her. She gave me a nod as a sign to continue. I pulled it out as fast as I could without doing further damage. She cried out in anguish at the sudden burst in pain. I quickly sprayed the potion on the wound and wrapped up her paw tightly with the bandages. Then I cut off the excess bandages and saved it for another emergency. "There, all done. Try to stay off that paw for a few days." Man, it felt damn good to be helping out like this, even if it is a dream.

"Th-thank you." She muttered.

"Don't worry about it." I said as I began to put away the appendages. A big problem was presented before me now. How will this Absol survive with an injury like that? She could barely limp to get around now. I was overridden with guilt at the thought of her lying dead in the middle of unknown territory. Suddenly, she began to cry softly into my lap.

"What's wrong," I asked. "Does it still hurt?"

"No," she managed to say in between sobs. "My family… dead… looking for sister…" that was I could manage to hear before she began to bawl uncontrollably. Shame and guilt is **never** a good combination. It makes you feel like shit in the end. Damn it, I have no choice.

"Don't worry. I'll help you look for your sister. And I'll keep you company!" I have no idea how I managed to feign cheerfulness in such a dull environment. She looked up at me with tear brimmed eyes to see any hint of lies.

"Wha-"

That was she said before I brought her in for a hug. What else could I do to help her out besides false words?

"What's your name?"

"Karen." She whispered.

"This is gonna be a long day for the both of us."

* * *

After a several minutes, Karen fell asleep. The poor girl must have been exhausted. I wanted to sleep as well but I still had things to do. I scooped her up into my arms and made my departure from the building. So many questions were swimming in my head. I tried my best to answer them but to no avail. How can I talk with Pokemon? What I'm I doing in this war? Where am I? Captain Badman didn't seem too fazed at my presence. My mind raced for these answers once again but to no avail. He must have gotten use to the war. I quickened my pace in hopes of asking Badman for answers. On the way out, I noticed a lone desk on the first floor. On top of it was some sort of journal. It looked brand new and untouched. Strange how I didn't noticed it before.

"I'm sure no one is gonna miss this." I said to myself. I took the journal and placed in my backpack without a second thought. I made my way towards the former enemy camp, hoping to find my company there.

It was a lot easier to navigate through those woods than I had originally thought. It did not take me long before the trees parted and I was greeted with the site of tents.

"Well, look who finally decided to come!" Only one man can sound that happy to see me.

"Captain, I have some questions I would like to ask you, if you don't mind."

"Of course. Let's go to my tent. I would like to ask you a few of my own questions." We walked through our new camp and stopped at a tent that was slightly larger than the others. We entered the tent and the first thing I notice was a table at the center with a map on it. It must have belonged to the enemy. There were also several boxes scattered around the tent. "Alright, kid. Start asking." He said as he lounged on a chair. He didn't seem to mind me not calling him "sir" or the Pokemon I am cradling in my arms. This man truly is strange. Or just indifferent towards many things. Let's see… where should I begin?

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Sinnoh," he replied. "More specifically, Route 202 which is between Sandgem Town and Jubilife City. That blow to your head must have been more severe than I originally thought. After this is done, I want you to go see our medic."

Sinnoh, eh? Well, that answers one of my questions.

"Why am I fighting in this war? Why are we fighting in the first place?"

"To answer both of your questions, it's because of the squabbling between two governments."

"What?"

"Let me explain," he said with the patience of a sage. "Seven years ago, Sinnoh decided that they needed someone or something to govern them. Geographically, Sinnoh is split in half by Mt. Coronet. Naturally, there would be two governments: one governing the west and the other controlling the east. They each had their own leader that would guide these people to eternal happiness. Of course, those are all lies. No one can truly be happy forever. Anyways, it maintained the peace for about six years. However, during those six years, tension was slowly building up between the two leaders. The change was so gradual that no one noticed. One argued that Pokemon ought to help us out in every task we do, therefore, optimizing their uses. That was what the Eastern Government wanted. But, our leader did not approve of this at all. He believed that the Eastern Government was treating the Pokemon like machines. At first, it was just a small argument. Now it has evolved into full-blown conflict all over the country. Hell, even Snowpoint City is getting involved now."

"So you're saying we're fighting a civil war?"

"Exactly. A war between humans always starts with an argument. This error has always been a thorn in humanity's side. That is why no one can live happily ever after."

Now that I know I'm fighting a civil war, I feel even shittier.

"So we're fighting an army that uses Pokemon as tools of war. What about us? We're using children for Arceus's sake!" Badman started to laugh at this statement. This only proved to boil my blood. "What the hell is so funny?"

"It's very interesting to see a child try to prove a point. You want to know why you're here? It's because you're special, kid. A prodigy. Normally, you would be a junior in high school right now. However, we have a shortage of men recently and we're getting desperate."

"That's no reason to send us to war! How many of us are there?"

"I'd say about 10,000 of you within the age range of 7-16. Only one-hundredth of them is actual a gifted child. Statistics say that 90 of the prodigies will live through this war. However, under 30 of the 'norms' will survive this."

"Screw statistics! I will never be the government's pawn in war!" Karen began to stir at my outburst. I looked down to only see that she was moving into a more comfortable position.

"Even if you are back in the normal life, you're still a part of the government. They use us however they see fit. The governments are the Pokemon trainer and we are the Pokemon." I hate to admit, but he is right. It may be the truth, but I am not going to accept it! I can't be angry yet. I still need more answers.

"Why do you not want us to kill the Pokemon?" I said through gritted teeth.

"It's what the 'trainer' wants. They give us special equipment to face such Pokemon." He pulled out two guns. One was a handgun and the other was a sniper rifle. "This," Badman gestured towards the handgun. "Is a Mk. 2 tranquilizer pistol. It's specially equipped so that it can even penetrate the armor of a Rhyperior with extra plating. However, the rounds are much smaller than what they use to be. Therefore, the sleep effect does not last as long. Now this rifle, is the Mosin Nagant." I decided to inspect the sniper rifle while he was talking. I placed Karen on the chair next to me. "It follows the same concept as the Mk. 2. As you know, the Mosin Nagant is bolt action. Be sure to reload after each shot, got it?" I nodded in agreement. "Now, being on the subject of guns, if you ever find that your equipment is not to your satisfaction, just come to me. I know enough people to get the ammo and guns that you want."

I am beginning to think that "Badman" is just his nickname on the streets. I'm just glad he is on my side. "Don't I need money for that?" I asked.

"There is no need for currency, my friend! Just trade in your old guns for new ones. Shotguns? Assault Rifles? Rocket Launchers? It's yours my friend! As long as you trade in your old guns!" Shit, he sounds like he just came out of the black market!

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"Anymore questions?"

"Just one more. I'm I in a dream?"

"This is no dream, kid."

So much for my theory. I let out a sigh. Might as well make the best of things while I still can. "I think I'll trade in my Desert Eagle and DSR-1 for those two tranquilizers. Oh, and I could use some more ammo for my shotgun."

"Wait just a moment while I get the ammo." He got up from his chair and walked outside to procure the neccesary ammo.

I looked towards Karen to see if she was awake yet.

"You're in this war against your own will?" Yep, definitely awake.

"That's right. But onto more important subjects," I didn't really feel like talking about child soldiers at the moment. "What does your sister look like?"

She paused for moment and thoughtfully looked at the ceiling. She made no effort in concealing her sorrow. "She is a Mightyena. She has the same eye color as I do so you should be able to identify her easily." I brought my hand to my chin as I began to think of the chances of coming across her sister along with other matters. Just then, Badman walked in with six cases of shotgun ammo.

"Here you go kid," He said as he handed me the small boxes. "Now let me show you to the medics. You can trade with me later."


	4. Getting Acquainted

**Chapter 3 Getting Acquainted**

"Yo, Doc! Where are ya?" Badman and I entered the medic's tent with Karen at my heels. The first thing that greeted me as I entered the tent was the strangest scent. It smelled like rotting flesh, mixed with some kind of air freshener, and hints of gunpowder. It didn't help that the moaning of the wounded steadily grew louder.

"Over here!" There was a man at the far end of the tent waving his hand towards us. It seemed like he was finished tending to one of his many patients. He walked towards us with a brisk pace and a smile.

"What's the matter, captain? You got another dead body for me to bury?" Note to self: never become a doctor if I ever get out of this alive.

"Ha, no need to be so morbid," said Badman.

"Anyway, I want to introduce to you on of my soldiers. This here," he gestured towards me as he was talking.

"Is Coln Einsbark. Kid, this is Doctor Cid Myers."

"Just call me Doc." Cid "Doc" Myers was a middle-aged man in the typical doctor's outfit, complete with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. His unusually shiny bald head was drenched in sweat. Dark pools were already forming under his listless ebony eyes. From my viewpoint, it looks like he was in dire need of a break, or a vacation.

"I was wondering if you could give him a quick check-up. He might have hit his head a little too hard on the battlefield." The doctor kneeled down so that he could start his check-up. He is dull eyes now held a brief fire to them as he focused his attention on all of my facial features. Then, he ruffled through my matted chestnut hair to see there were any bumps. Satisfied with my condition he briefly smiled before turning towards the captain.

"He's fine. Well, as fine as a kid can be in such a stressful environment, nonetheless." Badman seemed genuinely relieved at the news. I, on the contrary, remained indifferent. I don't want to become too attached to these people.

"That's great! Listen, I have to go now. Gotta plan our next move. Oh, before I forget, can you show him his tent for me, Doc?"

"Anything for a friend." He replied. With a swift "good-bye," he was gone.

"Coln, you haven't said a word since you got here. Something wrong besides the obvious?"

"No, nothing's wrong." I lied. I had so much to take in and my brain decided to take its time to soak it all up. It was somewhat frustrating.

"Alright. Look, I still have some wounded to heal so do you think you can wait for me outside the tent?" Oh, I couldn't wait to get out of that cesspool of hideous smells. I nodded in reply to his question. He gave another smile and walked off towards the sea of injured men. I picked up Karen, who was playing with the shoelaces on my boots, and walked off. When I was outside, the clouds had already parted and the sun shone a brightness that betrayed bleak events that happened not too long ago. The camp we secured was getting notably bigger by the minute as more men began setting up tents. Others were creating foxholes here and there just in case the enemy decided to retaliate. I decided to find a secluded area so that I may talk to Karen. Finding a completed foxhole, I jumped in the ditch, took off my backpack, and sat against the dirt wall.

"I feel like I just went through a shit storm. How about you, Karen?"

"The feeling is mutual." We chuckled for a while before relaxing. For an early autumn day, it was pretty cold. I held Karen a little closer to my body for extra heat.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"A lot, to be honest. First of all, the story that Badman told us about these two governments is a bit too simple. It feels like there should be more to it than just that tale. I was never comfortable with killing humans. Now that I know I'm in a civil war, I'm killing my fellow countrymen. The fact that Pokemon are involved in our struggles is just shit icing on this shit cake you call life. Sorry if I was ranting."

"Its okay," she said. I just hope I'm not a burden to you."

"Burden? You? That's the most absurd thing I heard all day," I brought her to my face and cuddled her. "I'm just glad to have a friend like you." She gave me a smile. It was the first time I ever saw her give such a toothy grin. I had to admit, she is really cute. Now that I think about, I don't know much about Karen. Who was her previous family? Are there any other surviving members besides her sister? That alone is debatable. Not wanting to ruin this moment, I set her down on the floor next to me. With one finger, I scratched under her chin to be rewarded with soft purr. Then, she began to nuzzle her face into my hand, enjoying the sensation of touching. All was temporarily forgotten as I started to pat her head. No wonder some people keep pets. They really do have the ability to alleviate some of your stress. After a couple of more pats, she started to yawn, showing all of her razor-sharp teeth.

"Nap time…" I said softly as I placed her on my lap. Then she curled into a tight little ball and drifted off into unconsciousness. I closed my eyes to follow suit. Nothing came. I was still awake, conscious, albeit with eyes closed. Choosing to give up and rest, I pulled out the journal I found in that building.

"Maybe this will pass the time."

_Dear Diary,_

_Wow, it sure feels weird to be writing a diary. Anyway, the tests came back from the doctors. My wife is pregnant! Oh, I cannot wait for the joys of parenthood. Is it going to be a boy or a girl? Will my child get along well with my Pokemon? I do hope that Marduk gets along with him/her. Oh yeah, Marduk is my Luxray, in case you didn't know. He's a really sweet little kitten, despite being almost half my height on all fours! He does look somewhat intimidating, though. Anyway, I'm still so excited about the news! I'll write to you soon, Diary. I have to be there for my wife. Perhaps the subject will be different next time._

What was the diary of a soon-to-be family man doing in that office building? I turned the page to read more about this individual.

_Dear Diary,_

_Its me again. Did I ever mention that I was a scientist? That's right! I deal in the fields of biology and medicine. I do research on all the new viruses, how it affects Pokemon and human alike, and see if I can find a cure. Its really not so bad. It pays good and the co-workers are nice. Maybe it's the fact that finding a possible cure for a disease puts pressure and people. Maybe that is what turns people away from my type of job. The only real problem is distractions. As I do my work, my mind keeps going back to my wife and future child. No matter what, I just can't stop thinking about them. Its only at home that I feel at ease. So far, it has been four months since the news of the pregnancy. Maybe we should get my wife another check-up, just to be safe. Anyway, I have to get work now. I'll write again soon._

I was hoping for something a little more entertaining. Oh well, this will have to do on those eventual sleepless nights. I closed the diary and placed in my backpack. As I began to relax with a content Karen on my lap, I see a teenager approaching me. He looked to be almost twice my age and wore the same army fatigues as everyone else. What intrigued me the most about this guy was the figure following closely next to his feet. It was a Growlithe. Huh, I thought that we don't use Pokemon to fight our wars. I decided to close my eyes and wait for his slow but imminent approach.

"There you are," he spoke in a satisfied tone. "I was looking all over for you."

"Who?" I asked, feigning idiocy.

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You are the new leader of our section, aren't you?"

Now this got my attention. Of course, I kept an indifferent look on my face. "Who said anything about a section leader?" I asked, opening one eye.

"The Captain."

"Who said anything about a Captain?"

"The Commander."

"What Commander?"

"Exactly. Where the hell is our commander that sends the youth to their early graves?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I'm starting to like this guy. I fully opened my eyes to meet his. "Always a pleasure to meet a friend. What's your name?"

"Joseph Damon. Everyone else just calls me 'Sloppy Joe' or just plain 'Sloppy.'"

"I assume you already know my name unless, me being section leader is a joke."

"It's no joke, sir."

"You sure about that? What's my name?"

"Section Leader Coln Einsbark, if I'm not mistaken." Damn it! When the hell was I a section leader?!

"Who appointed me to this job?"

"There is no more time for chat, sir. The Captain has asked for your presence at his tent immediately. He has a plan ready for us."

After I got my things ready and woke up Karen, we departed. The walk to the Captain's tent wasn't exactly long or eventful. But, it did give me time to think. Maybe being section leader isn't so bad. At least, now I have some authority. I'm not just any regular soldier. I just hope I'm ready to take the responsibility of this. Speaking of responsibility, why is this Growlithe here?

* * *

"Here we are, sir." Breaking out of my reverie, we opened the flaps to be greeted by a familiar sight.

"Good to see you can make it, soldier." There was something notably different about Captain Badman this time. He wasn't exactly his cheerful self and no longer referred to me as "kid."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I've got some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"The bad."

"We are running a little bit low on supplies. Of course, we have plenty of guns and ammo. I'm talking about fuel, rations and medicine."

"What's the good news?"

"The good news is that there is an enemy facility not too far from here. Look at the map." I stared intently at the map on the table. It was a small map of the general area between Sandgem Town and Jubilife City. According to the map, we are quite close to Jubilife City. We were situated about a little over the halfway point. To the Northeast of our area, there was a building marked "Supplies Area." It was buried deep within the forested area. There were red arrows with elongated bodies pointing here and there. Most likely, those red arrows showed the path of the enemy.

"We can raid it and get the supplies needed for the mounting assault on Jubilife City. However, there are a few setbacks."

"What are the setbacks?"

"Are casualties are steadily growing. We can't afford to lose anymore men. We still have Canalave City and the southwestern towns but that's it. The enemy is growing stronger. We have to reclaim Jubilife."

"What are you trying to say?"

"We can't really send a whole army in there and get the supplies. We already sent scouts over there to see their strength."

"Wait, are you trying to say that you are only going to send one section in there?"

"To put it bluntly, yes. I have read up on you and your squad's performance in boot camp. It seems you specialize in Stealth the most. But, because you are prodigies, you excel in almost every other area." What the hell? I didn't even get a chance to talk with my squad yet! I don't even know those people!

"Do you really expect us to succeed?"

"I haven't told you your objectives yet. Here are your orders: First of all, this is going to be a Stealth mission. Try your best to sneak inside the facility. Second, fill your backpacks with all the supplies it can hold. As of right now, medical supplies are your top priority. If you can find the food, that's great. Fuel can wait at the moment. If anyone spots you, take them out immediately before they call the alarm. I will specially equip all of you with silenced weapons and smoke grenades. Six of you will be infiltrating the building. I'll give you more details when the scouts return with their report. Is that clear, soldier?"

"Yes, sir!" I saluted. I didn't want to question him any further out of fear of being branded as a traitor.

"Good. Now let me show you your tents and your squad."

"Before we leave, captain, I need to ask you one more question."

"What is it?"

"Don't I have to be a junior-NCO (non-commissioned officer) to lead a section?"

"As captain of 'Bad Company,' I hereby announce you as junior-NCO. Is that better?" I nodded. This man sounds like he knows what he is doing.

"Good. Now follow me." I followed Badman out of his tent with Sloppy and Karen at my side. I wonder if Karen will be able to help me on this mission. Her limp is nearly non-existent by now and she seems eager to follow me. I'll just have to ask her later about this matter. We arrived at a small campfire that was surrounded by kids and teenagers alike, talking animatedly about subjects I knew nothing about. It also looked like I was the youngest of the group. When they saw us approach, they immediately saluted the Captain.

"At ease, soldiers." They spread their legs apart by a fraction and relaxed their right arm while standing straight. They didn't look like at ease.

"Allow me to introduce you your new section leader, Coln Einsbark. He may not look it, but he's a damn good sniper and he knows his stuff. I expect all of you to treat each other with respect. He will give you the briefing on your next mission. Is that understood?"

"**Sir, yes sir!"** They yelled.

"Good. I will give you more details about the mission later. For now, just relax and get to know each other." He walked away with an air of authority I had not felt before. I looked towards the group that stood in front of me. There was a kid about 10 years old. He had glasses that seemed to magnify every feature behind it. Freckles adorned his somewhat chubby face. If it weren't for that gun and uniform, he would have looked like a nerd. The other guy next to him seemed to be older by one year. There was nothing especially striking about him except for one thing: his RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) in his left hand and a pack of C4 in his right. I had a feeling that this is our demolition man. On the other side of the fire were two teenagers. They looked exactly alike, even their hair color dared not to differentiate between each other. Were it not for the weapons they were carrying, they would have been a carbon copy of each other.

"Let me introduce you to the section, sir." Said Sloppy.

"Go for it." I mumbled.

He pointed towards the geeky kid. "His name is David Smith. We just call him 'Calculus.'"

"Why?"

"Take my word for it, this guy is godly with grenades. He'll measure everything to get the perfect grenade throw."

"Doesn't talk much, does he?"

"Nope. The one next to him, on the other hand, won't shut up."

"Hey! I resent that and the dirt you walk on! I have enough explosives here to blow this whole damn camp all the way to Kanto! I warn you, I will do it one of these days and all of you will rue the day you made fun of Dmitri Uspensky!"

"Around here, we just call him 'Mouth.'" I couldn't help but snicker at his nickname. Hopefully he won't be causing too much problems during the mission.

"What about the twins over there?" I said trying to ignore the rant that "Mouth" yelling out to anyone around him.

"Ah, you mean the Camilleri brothers. They refuse to tell anyone their first names. So we just call them 'Tweedle Dee' and 'Tweedle Dum.'"

"Alright then. We now know each other's names, more or less. How about we tell each other our strengths and weaknesses? I'll start first. I suppose I'm mainly a sniper but I know how to fight up close. I'm not that great with handling explosives. What about you, Calculus?"

"Grenades," he mumbled. "And sub-machine guns." He definitely belongs on the frontlines. If the team ever gets separated, I hope I end up with this guy on my team.

"And you, Mouth?"

"Isn't it obvious? Explosives! I'll admit, I'm not really that great with automatic weapons. However, I know how to kick ass with handguns! Give me a Desert Eagle or a PMM and I can handle myself easily out there." With the knowledge I have of my teammates so far, I'm the only long range fighter here.

"What about you two, the Camilleri brothers?"

"We provide covering fire with our machine guns." They both said simultaneously.

"And last but not least, Sloppy Joe. What's your main weapon?"

"Well, assault rifles are my forte. But, I could use everything else with relative ease."

"That's good to know. Well, don't we make a motley crew? I have a feeling we'll make through this war as long as we stick together. What do you say, fellas?" We placed our right hand over the fire as a sign of our newly formed brotherhood. We then howled in pain as the heat got to us.

"No son of a bitch is gonna kill us! We'll live forever, or die trying! Am I right, men?!"

"Sir, yes sir!!" Wow, it feels so amazing to be in control! I feel powerful. I feel I can make difference now. I feel… alive!

"So," Mouth started. "What's the plan?" I began to explain everything that the Captain told me and Sloppy. Needless to say, they were stunned.

"Let me get this straight, he wants just us to infiltrate an enemy base, raid their supplies, and slip away into the shadows as if nothing ever happened?!"

"That about sums it up, Mouth." I replied.

"How the hell does he expect us to succeed? Why can't we just blow the whole place down?"

"The risk of destroying the supplies along with the base is much too high. Also, this is a Stealth mission. Have you ever heard of the concept before?"

"Of course I did," he retorted.

"I just can't believe he would send only us into the Beedrill's nest." I had the same sentiments not too long ago. But now that I am this section's leader, I have to act like one. I cannot show weakness in front of my men, my newly-found friends.

"We will get out of this alive and well," I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Why are you so distraught? I guess you really do live up to the name 'Mouth.'" He merely looked at me. His eyes showed such a bright dullness that cannot be seen even within a pitch black pit. His face was contorted with depression and hopelessness. However, I didn't have time to ponder as I heard heavy footsteps approaching from behind. I turned around to be greeted with the sight of Captain Badman himself.

"Glad to see you guys acting so chummy with each other." Everyone else glared at him that would make an Arbok squeal in fear. He ignored this reception and continued talking.

"Anyway, the scouts have arrived. I hope you boys are ready for your first stealth mission!"

Captain Badman, who are you? Better yet, what are your true motives?


End file.
